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European Commission launches new consultations as part of its plan for a “Digital Single Market”

As part of its Digital Single Market Strategy the European Commission has launched public consultations on:

the Satellite and Cable Directive

an evaluation and review of the regulatory framework for electronic communications networks and services, and

future internet speed and quality needs.

CONSULTATION ON THE SATELLITE AND CABLE DIRECTIVE

The European Commission has launched a consultation on the Satellite and Cable Directive (93/83/EEC), which facilitates the clearing of copyright and related rights for satellite broadcasting and cable re-transmission to improve the cross-border transmission and reception of broadcasting services.

The Commission wants to assess to what extent the directive has improved consumers' cross-border access to broadcasting services in the EU and what would be the impact of extending it to TV and radio programmes provided over the internet, notably broadcasters' online services.

The Commission is conducting in parallel a study to assess the functioning and relevance of the directive, as well as the legal and economic aspects of the evolving broadcasting landscape, which will feed into the consultation.

The consultation closes on 16 November 2015.

REVIEW OF THE REGULATORY FRAMEWORK FOR ELECTRONIC COMMUNICATION NETWORKS AND SERVICES

The consultation on the review of the regulatory framework for electronic communications will examine to what extent the EU's telecoms rulebook needs to be modernised to address technological and market challenges. It also asks about the future of network access regulation, spectrum management, communication services, universal service and telecoms governance.

CONSULTATION ON FUTURE INTERNET SPEED

Finally the consultation on future internet speed and quality needs asks what Europeans expect from their fixed and mobile networks beyond 2020.

In particular which future products, applications and services will depend on connectivity and what will they require in terms of security, speed, quality, data downloads and uploads and ubiquitous connectivity.

Both this consultation and the consultation in point 2 above are open until 7 December 2015. The results of both of these consultations will inform the Commission's consideration of future policy proposals.

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